View full sizeLynn Ischay / The Plain DealerOklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook steals the ball away from a prone Ramon Sessions during the first quarter of Sunday's game at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The official count might be up for debate, but Byron Scott has seen this before from his Cavaliers. He's seen this sleepwalking performance, this lack of effort, this kind of 95-75 loss they had to Oklahoma City on Sunday afternoon at The Q. Has it been three or four times? More? Less?

He's seen it too often in this 12-53 Cavaliers season, and Scott has said publicly before that he questions whether his players have the heart to compete nightly in the NBA.

He said it again after watching his Cavaliers stumble to the Thunder in a game in which they never contended and scarcely challenged. The Cavaliers fell behind by as many as 28 points, came no closer than 10 after the first quarter, and watched as Thunder stars Kevin Durant (20 points) and Russell Westbrook (19 points) sat the entire fourth quarter because their team no longer needed them.

But like the boy who cried wolf, Scott's words might be hollow threats after they're spoken again and again -- even if they're accurate.

"I'm really starting to question what type of heart we have as a basketball team," Scott said. "If you are a competitor, no matter what the situation is, no matter what the year has brought, you're going to come in and compete every single night. We haven't done that the last two games. That's my biggest question: Do we have enough guys in that locker room right now that have heart and some other things to go out there and play the way they're supposed to play?"

Related stories

The Cavaliers' fourth consecutive loss came with 33-percent shooting and a failure to execute the game plan to slow down Durant -- a scheme to double-team the 6-9 forward that never materialized -- even after three days off since their last loss.

With Anthony Parker, a 6-6 guard with limited mobility, attempting to defend Durant single-handedly, he had 10 points after one quarter.

"That's lack of focus with our team," Scott said. "Because it was something we practiced for two days and we still weren't able to execute that. That makes me question where we are, head-wise, as well."

The Cavaliers also were starting one rookie (Samardo Samuels), and played two others (Christian Eyenga and Manny Harris) significantly in the loss.

Perhaps no play epitomized the mishaps that come with youth and reflected this Cavaliers' woeful season than a second-quarter sequence. On a breakaway, Harris bobbled an attempt at a behind-the-back pass to Eyenga. Somehow, the ball still found its way into Eyenga's hands, who somehow managed to get it to Samuels. But Samuels' wide-open dunk attempt caromed off the back of the rim -- and the crowd at the The Q groaned in unison.

The rookie mistakes are leading to what appears to be lack of effort, contended Daniel Gibson, who had a team-high 13 points in the loss.

"I think guys on this team care," he said. "I think they really care about winning and playing the right way. It's a matter of when you want to play the right way, you have to know how to play the right way. We have a lot of young guys, and it takes time. It takes time to learn what it takes to play at this level. I think sometimes it might come off that way [lacking heart], but I think guys on this team really care."

Scott wanted his players to show it in the third quarter when Westbrook scored 12 straight points, driving to the basket time and again past helpless Cavaliers.

"It was too easy," Scott said. "My biggest problem with that is, he's great player, but it should get to the point as a team where somebody has to knock him on his [butt]. Simple as that. That's where the heart part comes in. Are you going to keep backing down and taking it?"

So far, each time Scott has publicly wondered about his team's heart, the Cavaliers have given a clear answer.

Follow Us

cleveland.com is powered by Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. All rights reserved (About Us).The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC.